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Essential
Architecture- Chicago
Loop North
Former Chicago Historical Society Building |
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architect
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Henry Ives
Cobb |
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location
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632 N. Dearborn St.
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date
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1892
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style
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Romanesque Revival |
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construction
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Stone |
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type
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One of the city's few remaining and best examples of Romanesque Revival
architecture, this monumental, picturesque-style structure was designed
by one of the era's most successful architects. It is generally
considered one of Cobb's finest works. The Chicago Historical Society
occupied the building from the 1890s until 1931; it was that
organization's need for a fireproof structure that accounts for the
structure's granite-clad construction. The building's later uses
included the prestigious Institute of Design and recording studios for
influential blues and rock n' roll performers in the 1950s and ‘60s.
The forms of the Romanesque Revival actually derive from the 11th
and 12-century architecture of France and Spain, although the style
enjoyed a resurgence in the 1880s due to the work of architect H. H.
Richardson. It was used for many building types, including houses,
clubs, and commercial buildings, before its popularity ended in the late
1890s. Examples can be found in many community areas, including Douglas,
Grand Boulevard, and Kenwood.
Common characteristics are:
heavy, rough-cut stone walls
round arches and squat columns
deeply recessed windows
pressed metal bays and turrets
Source:
http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks
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links
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With special thanks to the City of
Chicago website,
www.egov.cityofchicago.org , for much of the info on this page.
Photos copyright City of Chicago. |
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www.essential-architecture.com
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